Means for protecting tiller-ropes of vessels from fire



UNiTED s'rArEs PATENT OFFICE.

W. Y. GILL, OF HENDERSON, KENTUCKY.

MEANS` FOR PROTECTING TILLEB-ROIPES OF VESSELS FROM FIRE.

` Specification of Letters Patent No. 191,841, dated April 6, 1858.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, W. Y. GILL, offI-Ienderson, in the county ofHenderson and State of Kentucky, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Arranging or Laying Down the Tiller-Ropes of SteamVessels for the Purpose of Protecting Them from Fire; and I do herebydeclare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description ofthe saine, reference being had to the annexed drawing, making a part ofthis speciiication, said drawing being a vertical central section of myimprovement.

This invention consists in having the tiller ropes fitted in metaltubes, which tubes are inclosed by other tubes of larger diameter sothat a space is allowed between them to be filled with any propernon-conducting material. These tubes are to extend from the wheel houseto the tiller, so that the entire length of the ropes, or the parts mostexposed, will be fully protected.

To enable those skilled in the art to fully understand and construct myinvention I will proceed to describe it.

A, represents the hull of a steam vessel. B, the upper deck. C, thepilot wheel frame at the front part of the vessel and D, the tillerwhich is connected with the rudder E as usual. The above parts do notrequire to be constructed nor arranged in any peculiar way in order tofavor the application of my invention and therefore a particulardescription of them is not necessary.

F, is the drum of the pilot wheel, which is fitted up within the pilothouse as usual and Gr, is the tiller rope which is wound around the drumF, and extends along at each side of the vessel to its stern, passingover and around the necessary pulleys a, and attached to the tiller D,at opposite sides.

The rope G is inclosed at each side of the vessel by a metal tube b, theinternal diameters of which are sufficiently large to allow the rope towork freely in them. These tubes b, extend from the pilot house to thetiller and the necessary elbows may be formed by having boxes c, placedat the turns the tubes b, fitting into the sides of the boxes which aremade of sufficient capacity to receive the pulleys and to allow the ropeto work freely around them as shown clearly in the drawing.

The tubes b, may be formed of suitable lengths fitted or jointedtogether in any proper way, and the tubes b, are encompassed by tubesal, of larger diameter vso as to allow a space between them to be filledwith plaster of Paris or any suitable nonconducting material e. Theboxes c, are also encompassed by boxes f, of larger capacity, the spacesbetween being also filled with non-conducting material e.

The tubes which inclose the ropes may be laid, hung, or supported in anyproper way, due provision being made against the falling of the same, incase of a vessel taking lire by the burning of contiguous wood work. Inmany cases metal columns or pillars may be used with advantage, in othercases the construction of the vessel will afford facilities for securelylaying the tubes. A proper mode of laying the tubes however will sug-Agest itself to any mechanic after an examination of the construction ofthe vessel to which the improvement is to be applied. The tiller ropesthus inclosed and protected will be prevented from burning until theupper portion of the vessel is nearly destroyed and suliicient time willbe allowed in almost every case for the pilot to run the vessel agroundor to a landing where the passengers and property may be saved. Thegreat danger attending the burning of vessels is owing to the burning ofthe tiller ropes. Those hitherto have been exposed directly to theflames and all communication between the tiller and the pilot-house-being soon cut off, the vessels have been left to burn to the watersedge, all command of them being lost when the rudder cannot be operated.

I would remark that the great number of lives and the vast amount ofproperty destroyed by the early burning of the tiller ropes of vesselsas the vessels take fire has previously awakened the attention ofpersons directly interested and metal chains were for a time substitutedfor ropes, but were necessarily abandoned on account of not beingsufficiently flexible. Ropes are now invariably used, and by myimprovement being sufiiciently protected from fire, the only but greatobjection to their use is obviated. I would also remark that in order tofacilitate the filling of the space between the tubes, apertures a", maybe made in the outer tube d.

I do not claim broadly the protecting of articles from fire by inclosingthe same within a double case the space between its sides being filledWith a non-conducting material, for this is a Well known means ofprotecting articles from heat, and may be seen in the Various fire-proofsafes, refrigerators, Water coolers, &c., in common use; but,

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is,

Inclosing the tiller ropes Gr, of steam vessels by a double tubing b, d,connected With double vboxes c, f, or their equivalents to form thenecessary elbows the spaces between the tubes and boxes being filledwith a proper non-conducting material e, and the Whole arranged andapplied substantially as here- 15 in shown and described for the purposeset forth. l

W. Y. GILL.

Witnesses: CHAs. T. STARLING,

JOSEPH. GRANT.

